Contractual Arrangements
by AnonymousPen90
Summary: Yesterday was not a life-altering day for Damon Salvatore. He had several rewarding conversations with the opposite gender, a good tumbler of bourbon, and was informed that Giuseppe Salvatore, father of three and owner of the Salvatore Enterprise, had finally croaked. Tomorrow would be different.
1. Chapter 1

Elena knew very little of the high society that she was somewhat guiltily a part of due to her job of the past three years. She was currently nanny to the young Katie Salvatore, daughter of the deceased self-made billionaire Giuseppe Salvatore.

Elena had first been hired after the passing of his wife, Maria. Now with the recent death of Giuseppe Salvatore, Katie was orphaned and alone. On some level Katie had already been alone. In the strong fight for more power and more money the young girl could often be forgotten. That was what Elena did know came with being part of a family where there was never any financial burden.

Katie the young girl with big brown eyes and dark brown hair currently braided down the center of her head had her face tucked in Elena's side with big hot tears trickling down her cheeks that were soaking into the black dress that Elena had recently found for this specific occasion at a second hand store outside the city. Elena made no move to remove the grieving child and gave no words of comfort.

The father did not possess a relationship with his daughter like Elena had with her daddy. The memories Katie now carried with her were dinners at fancy restaurants where she was encouraged in her etiquette and nights of fighting sleep just to be awake when her father looked in on her before heading towards his own bed. They both held a love for each other, that Elena was sure, but neither understood how to express it to one another.

"Can't you make it stop?"

Vikki Salvatore knew very little about loving others. It was obvious when Vikki chastised a young girl at her father's funeral. Elena wanted to, well do several things to express her dislike of Vikki Salvatore, and none of them were publicly acceptable but all were ever so tempting. Instead of saying anything, Elena glared at the 'grieving' widow who was currently staring at her perfectly manicured nails as she pulled at her tiny black dress that was made for a club or possibly a local brothel. Probably being used in hopes of latching onto one of Giuseppe's business associates. There were a few things Elena knew that Vikki understood, and that was the love of money, prestige, and not having to use her brain.

The current person on the stage was interrupted by a loud creak and an obnoxious string of giggles from the back of the church. It did not take much for Elena to guess that it was Damon and Andie, the eldest Salvatore son and his favorite girl, at least for this month. For this Elena was sure, they were absolutely unbearable company and if Katie did not adore her brother so much Elena would avoid them altogether.

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Waste of time. That is what this day had become for Damon. He should have never invited Andie to his father's funeral. She had made nothing but inappropriate comments since they had sat down and he observed her voice became more agitating and shriller the more words she spoke. It was time for them to break up. He was already formulating the words to the email he would send her later that night.

Andie had served her purpose, helped him to create a scene at his father's funeral. Damon had planned not to attend and than was made aware that the conversation about his fathers estate was going to happen directly afterwards and there was one good thing Giuseppe gave Damon and it was not good council or loving support, it was money. Obviously, Giuseppe knew this and had to have control over Damon's life even after death, the man was a narcissist.

"Why is your mom not here?"

It was official, this day was dreadful and Andie Star was an unbearable human being. Then again, that kind of thing usually did not affect Damon, due to the amount of time he chose to spend with his female companionship.

"This isn't some kind of day to meet the family. If I would have wanted you to meet my family I would have invited you over for Christmas."

With that, Damon stood up and left the funeral. Forgetting the reason he had chosen to make the effort to leave his bed in the first place. His brother would come find him before they started anything; Stefan was too good of a person not to do the right thing.

It was then he decided, that would be the last thought Damon had in concern to his family and the current funeral that was ongoing not three hundred feet away. Instead he chose to sit in his Mercedes Benz as he let Jimi Hendrix play through his brand new stereo system. Almost making it through the Are You Experienced album before a light tapping on his window interrupted him.

"Watch the glass"

Damon shouted before looking to see who it was. The guilt left Damon feeling uncomfortable when he realized that it was Katie. Her face had dimmed and he could no longer see her dimples but she still looked at Damon expectantly. Damon knew it would only be a matter of time before that too would diminish. Still, Damon rolled down his window and gave a tentative smile asking what she needed.

"Laney said you walked out because you were sad and I am sad too"

Damon was going to attempt to express the real reason that he was upset. She may be eight but she deserved to know the family she was being raised in, the blood that ran through her veins.

"Katie!"

Damon watched as Elena Gilbert rushed over towards the siblings with a worried look on her face. When Damon had first met Elena he had hoped she would be something else to fill his time with. Elena had turned down his advances more than once and it was probably for the best because Katie really liked Elena as her nanny and he cared about very little but he did care about Katie.

"Katie, you can't just run off like that"

"Sorry Elena, she was just coming to say hello. Katie, I will see you later."

Damon went to roll his window back up. The conversation he would one day have with his sister would have to wait. Just before the barrier was placed between them, Elena placed her hand out to silently request him to stop

"Actually, you need to come with us, the funeral just finished. I know Stefan and Caroline can't stay long."

Damon nodded his head in understanding and made his way out of his car. Only to have his arm grasped by a squealing Katie.

"Damon, give me a piggy back ride."

Without saying a word Damon squatted down and allowed Katie to crawl onto his back. The trio walked towards the church and Damon could feel Elena watching him.

"Your friend took a cab home"

So that was it, little miss superiority complex had an issue with how he handled his date. Well, Damon knew for a fact that Elena did not like Andie because she once told him it would be wise to consider his company when in the presence of his impressionable sister, she sure knew a lot for just being the nanny.

"You may be able to voice an opinion about my relationship with my sister but if you have a problem with how I treat others you should keep the thoughts to yourself"

Elena turned to Damon with her eyes staring at him all big, and round.

"That isn't what I was thinking."

The conversation was halted when the trio entered the room where Stefan, Caroline, Vikki and Giuseppe's team of lawyers had already gathered. The room was silent and Damon watched as Elena appeared to become skittish. She looked ready to run and for a split second he wished to place his hand on her back and calm her but Damon new the gesture would not be an accepted one.

"Katie, go sit down over there with Damon. I will meet you right out here when you are done"

"Actually Miss Gilbert you should take a seat. This affects you as well."

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This was not what Elena had wanted. She did not understand why they wanted her in the conference room to discuss the disbursing of money; Giuseppe would not have left her any money. It was a question whether Giuseppe even was going to give money to his family. Silently Elena sat down beside Katie and fiddled with her fingers in attempt to stay stable.

There were two lawyers that sat across from them. Both were similar, strikingly handsome with strong jaw lines and sandy blonde hair that was fashionably styled. The one appeared twenty years older with steaks of silver in his hair and wrinkles snaking out from the corners of his eyes.

"Before we get into finances we should talk about the guardian of Katherine Salvatore. According to the will of Giuseppe Salvatore this responsibility should be given to Elena Gilbert."

Elena stopped for a moment, unsure if she had heard the younger lawyer correctly, she could barely afford to keep herself independently afloat, how was she to afford raising a child when she had also just lost her source of income. Her mom use to always tell her that her emotions were easily read through the size of her eyes and apparently the older man observed this trait too because he reached his hand over the table and attempted to still her hands.

"Miss Gilbert there has been sufficient funds designated to provide for both you and Miss Katherine. He also has given you ownership of his property in Manhattan that way Miss Katherine can stay enrolled at her current school."

It was all a great deal of information to try and absorb, especially with Katie sitting right beside her.

"Wait a minute that is where I am living."

Damon was already getting frustrated and Elena had seen how quickly his temper could rise when provoked.

"Well, Mr. Salvatore, unless Miss Gilbert is willing to rent you a room. I would suggest you consider this your thirty day notice."

This was not going to end well.

"You know what, they can have the apartment. Why don't you just tell me what the old man left me so that I can be on my way."

Elena watched as Damon stood from his seat and even Stefan pulled back slightly from the hostility and anger that was raging in his voice. A paper was exchanged between the old lawyer and Damon. As Elena watched Damon read the letter she wondered what would settle his greed. Before she could decide, the letter was crumpled and thrown on the table as Damon rose and stormed out of the room leaving a string of curse words in his wake.


	2. Chapter 2

Damon would admit it; he was in a foul mood. This day had been nothing but bad and worse from start to finish. The bar he had found himself in was almost entirely empty and the bartender had stopped trying to make polite conversation with him an hour ago. How Giuseppe still seemed to have such a strong grasp on Damon, beyond the grave, seemed unfathomable. It made Damon wonder how long Giuseppe had that stupid will written. He would never forgive him for this.

"Go away Stefan"

Stefan sat down on the bar stool beside Damon and neither said anything. Sharing the silence with somebody was soothing, even if Damon would never break the silence to admit it, and even though the company was his brother.

"Surprised you don't have a shadow."

"Caroline, is currently at our house preparing the guest bedroom."

Stefan had always been similar to their mother. The woman constantly thought about others and rarely let her emotions take control of her personality. Damon had unfortunately picked up more traits from his father. Damon's choice for his nomadic lifestyle was better for everybody.

"It's open for you to use until you figure something else out"

The truth had been uncovered when Damon was a teenager when he had been in such a rush to get behind the wheel, he wished he had never gone searching. It had taken him months to finally forgive his mother, months that now haunted him.

"Damon, you need to figure out what you are going to do."

"I shouldn't have to figure out anything. I am going to fight this, there is no way they could make that legally binding."

The silence was what followed and Damon wondered when his brother was going to leave. His brother had given a generous offer but Damon had no desire to live with the newly weds. He doubted Stefan wanted him to live with them but the offer would destroy the guilt that Damon was sure was burrowing its way into Stefan's brain as they spoke, Damon declining the offer was best for everybody. Damon would figure this out without help from anybody.

"The lawyers told me privately what the note stated because you left before they could give you this."

Stefan placed a letter in front of Damon and it made Damon choke on the carbon dioxide that was trying to exit his lungs. In handwriting that Damon would never forget was simply written 'Figlio Mio'. The words wavered as the words from Stefan bounced through Damon's head. Both Giuseppe and his mother were Italian but it was his mother that had insisted the kids learn about where they cam from, learn the language their ancestors had spoke. There were days where his mother would speak in nothing but Italian and he would sit and listen and try and learn as much as he could, because it made his mother happy. Then every night, when he was young enough to still allow his mother to pull up his covers and burry him under them, she would whisper "Ti amo mio figlio". I love you, my son. Whispered as a declaration, a promise, a treasured moment between mother and son.

"Who wrote this?"

"You don't really need me to answer that. The lawyers said they made that part of the will together. It was mom's idea but she knew you wouldn't understand and we all know she was always the only one who could make you understand."

It was all, just too much to comprehend in a musty bar as his brother sat and analyzed him. Swiftly, Damon picked up the letter and stuffed it into his back pocket before exiting the bar, in the midst of the final exchange between brothers.

"Are you going to read it?"

"No"

Damon's gruff and immediate response. There was no way, his mother would never, how could she possibly ever think it was a good idea. It was the quieter voice that Damon tried to ignore that told Damon differently.

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_Damon sat with his head in his hands as he tried to summon the energy to sit just a little longer. He had been in Paris when he got the news and it had taken him longer than he would have liked to get a flight home. He willingly accepted a coach seat for an earlier flight; he hated coach, being forced to sit between a mom with a screaming baby and a flirty teenager._

_The steady pounding of the rain against the window told the story of the turmoil going on inside of Damon. This was the only woman he had ever loved and she lay sleeping in a bed beside him, looking so peaceful. It was different than the way Damon had last seen her. Stage 4 breast cancer. The ramifications of such an awful diagnosis had turned his mother frail and was soon going to snatch away his Mother's life, the doctors said she had a few hours left. _

_"__Damon" _

_Damon stood and gently removed the mask that was grasped between her nimble fingers and placed it back over her mouth. Only to pull up his chair closer to her bed and embraced her one hand with his own. If she was going to use energy to talk to him, he was going to listen._

_"__I knew you would come"_

_It was only a tight smile that Damon could appear to give to his Mother in response to her relieved expression._

_"__Save your energy. I am not going anywhere."_

_"__I need to tell you something first. You deserve to be happy Damon."_

_"__I am happy Mama"_

_The thunder crashed outside and Maria Salvatore gave her son that look. The look that was reserved for mother's to give their children when they knew better than to believe the words that were exchanged._

_"__I love you figlio mio but __I worry about you and you need to"_

_His mother was not able to finish due to her breathing becoming increasingly labored until she broke into a fit of coughs._

_"__Ok, Mom you can tell me later."_

_His mother's eyes became wide as she tried to regain the breath that was fighting to go down her throat._

_"__No time"_

_Another labored breathe_

_"__You need to give yourself a chance to love somebody, somebody a chance to love you back"_

_Her hand that was currently clasped in his hand slightly clenched as if she wanted to emphasis her point but did not have enough energy to tighten her grip. The gesture made the reality of the situation settle in a little bit deeper. Damon's mother was dying. They had gotten her the top specialists and paid for all the best treatments but in the end it did not seem to matter very much._

_"__I don't really think my love life is a death bed conversation."_

_"__You deserve to be happy "_

_Damon did not understand why his mother was so set on seeing him fall in love, get married, and have kids. Damon loved his mother but he also felt she had very old-fashioned thinking when it came to finding happiness. It was not that Damon did not know how to appreciate a woman. Damon knew how to appreciate a woman, and appreciate her well. Just, love was never going to be in the equation for Damon. Love in his experience had been destructive and not worth the emotion._

_"__Promise you will look after Katie and Stefan too. You all need to support each other and"_

_The voice from his mother was getting weaker and more strained and Damon gestured for her to stop talking. He did not want her to waste her energy, not on him._

_"__Mom you don't need to worry about us. Rest"_

_Finally, heeding his advice she closed her eyes and appeared to return to some semblance of peace. Damon leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes as well. Maria Salvatore would be pronounced dead before Damon left the uncomfortable hospital chair that evening._

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"Where is Damon?"

"I don't know sweetie"

Elena had been trying to explain to Katie what had happened in the conference room for the past few hours. The young child was so confused, Elena could barely understand herself, and Katie so desperately wanted to understand. Her current concern though was for her eldest brother. Katie first thought they were moving in with Damon but now she was worried. She expressed concern that her brother would be homeless but mostly she was worried that Damon now hated her because she was taking his house.

"I don't want to move Elena"

"You were excited about moving earlier today."

"Why can't Damon live with us?"

What Elena wanted to say was, because she could tolerate Damon for small segments of time but one can only hold her composure for so long and Elena was also sure that Damon did not live a child friendly lifestyle. Instead, Elena responded with a coated, diplomatic answer.

"I am sure Damon has other living arrangements. Now I need you to go and start packing up your stuffed animals."

Katie grumbled a response but grabbed one of the empty cardboard boxes and dragged it through the kitchen and up the stairs to her room. Elena had debated if they should take their time in moving, legally they had six months to move, before the house and all items they did not take with them would be sold at auction. All proceeds would than go to Elena, with the understanding that it would be used to assist with providing for Katie. Even though they had a fair amount of time Elena felt it would be in the best interest of Katie to remove her from her childhood home and give her a fresh starts. From personal experience, Elena knew the benefit of starting in a fresh environment. Before Elena could start on packing up the kitchen she heard a knock on the door and a loud thump from upstairs.

"Katie I hope you are packing up there"

Elena shouted as she opened the door. Only to notice after the door was completely opened that Damon stood on the other side of it and he looked, well he did not look good. His hand had obviously ran through his hair restlessly, and his face was drained of color, but his brows were scrunched close together and he only mustered a small grin when he came in with a sarcastic greeting about Elena's casual choice of clothes.

It had been moments after returning to the house that Elena had stripped out of her dress and put on her favorite pajama bottoms and her most comfortable black camisole. The comment had Elena on edge already, he did not have any right to come in and make a comment about what she chose to wear during her leisure time. There was then a familiar pitter patter from the stairs and Elena knew she would not have time to tell Damon exactly what she thought of him.

"Damon!"

Neither adult had time to respond before Katie came in and wrapped herself around Damon's waist. Damon gently placed his hand on Katie's head and lifted it up only to repeat the process twice. Damon was similar to his father, Elena mused, in the sense he was unable to truly show somebody love in physical or verbal terms.

"Hey Katie, hey why are you crying."

It was then Elena noticed Katie had tears tracing down her cheek. Elena would need to make sure she drank water and did not dehydrate from all the liquid she was releasing today.

"I'm sorry Damon don't hate me. You can stay, you can share my bedroom."

Damon gazed at Elena with a look of being completely at a lack for what to do. Elena slowly approached the brother- sister duo and gently wrapped her arms around Katie's back to disentangle her from Damon. Katie went willingly and swiftly turned to wrap her arms around Elena's neck and nestled her head as close to Elena as she could manage.

"Sweet girl, Damon does not hate you. Right, Damon?"

"Yeah, I don't hate you, why would I hate you?"

Katie pulled out of Elena's arms only enough to turn and look at her brother who was still awkwardly standing just inside the entrance of the house. Elena wondered if it was the tears or the hugging that currently made him the most uncomfortable.

"You aren't mad that Elena and I are living at your apartment without you? Where are you going to live?"

The questions came one after another and Damon looked between Elena and Katie. Took a glance at his feet and shifted uncomfortably until finally responding.

"I am not mad and I am still working my living arrangement out."

That was all it took for Katie to switch from hanging onto Elena to hanging onto Damon. The tears that still marked her face were all near forgotten and her eyes sparkled with delight.

"You can live with us! Elena, can he live with us?"

Elena stayed silent, hoping that Damon would deny the obvious horrible idea. Instead he just stared at Elena like he actually wanted to say yes. The very idea that Damon would want to live in an apartment with his kid sister and 'the self-righteous nanny', his words not hers, meant that maybe he really was left absolutely nothing. She currently had no other desire than to read the paper that currently was crumpled at the bottom of her purse.

"Well, that is up to Damon."

"Damon will you live with us?"

"Sure, I can stay with you guys"

Katie squealed in excitement and bounced around the kitchen shouting about how excited she was. Elena just stood and wondered how she had gotten to this place in her life, and how soon she could get away from Damon but first she had some things to discuss with him.

"Katie, go finish packing your stuffed animals."

It was a much more willing departure for Katie this time. Silence was what followed the departure of the only interest that the couple had in common.

"I didn't come over to cause issues"

Elena glared at him

"That is the exact reason you felt a need to come over."

"Look, if I had any other choice I would have taken it."

It was that statement that made Elena realize how rude she was being, how unsympathetic she was being to a man who had just lost his father and possibly all source of money. In a thought out effort Elena made her eyes lose the edge and simply asked.

"Did your dad leave you anything in his will?"

Damon looked as though he was again going to respond with an angry response and than seemed to reconsider. Looking down at the ground Damon simply responded.

"Not exactly"

"There have to be rules. You can't bring women over to the house. You have to make an effort to spend time with Katie, and not just giving her what she asks but seeking her out to spend time with her and you are going to have to help pay for things around here."

"I know you are not hurting for money, you don't need my help to pay for things."

"I don't care how much money I have. You are twenty-four years old and perfectly capable of getting a job and helping out with expenses."

Elena could not stand how entitled he acted. Damon looked as though he was going to protest but instead grumbled a "fine" and walked swiftly out from where he had entered. Before the door had even latched shut, Elena was making her way to her purse. Rummaging through her purse in search of the paper. When the conference room had emptied and Katie was busy talking with Stefan, the temptation had become too much. Elena had found the crumpled paper that Damon had left behind and swiftly placed it into her purse. She had been debating all day whether she wanted to read it but now she desired nothing more than to see what was written on it.

The first thing to catch her attention as she unwrinkled the paper was a dollar amount. It was a large dollar amount. She was convinced that even Damon could not complain about the number and than she read the clause. All of the above money would be held in a trust fund to be given to Damon Salvatore for his first year wedding anniversary.


	3. Chapter 3

Damon woke up to the sound of Katie and Elena talking somewhere outside of his room. Originally, Damon was surprised when Elena had allowed him to stay in the master bedroom and they had taken the bedrooms with the shared bathroom. For a moment Damon had thought it meant they would live very separate lives from him and he would be able to go on as if none of this nightmare of a situation had taken place. They were approaching the two-week mark of being roommates and all former thoughts had been banished.

There was a very predictable routine in their very modern family, home life. Damon was always promptly awoken at 10:30 by the very loud and demanding Elena. The first morning Damon had chosen to stay in bed instead of getting out when Elena had requested. After her third request and Katie's second, Elena had marched into his bedroom and dumped a cold bucket of water straight on him. He had jumped out of bed and demanded a reason for her need to have him out of bed. Instead she had walked out of the room while mumbling something about finally being thankful for growing up with; she possibly said Jeffrey or maybe Jeremy. It was not really what was running through his head as Damon jumped in the shower before putting on a black button up and his dark blue jeans. The whole time he was practicing exactly what he was going to say to the woman who Damon was convinced was hired by Giuseppe just to make sure Damon would always remain miserable. The conversation that had been planned had never actually happened. Damon had walked out to breakfast on the table and a newspaper opened to the list of job openings, positions that he qualified circled with a yellow highlighter.

The first day, Damon had barely browsed. The second day, Damon had observed the titles. Now, Damon was actively looking for a job as well.

As Damon sat and looked through the potential jobs as he ate his breakfast, Katie would sit and talk with him. Tell him everything that possibly came into her young little mind and quite possibly things that she did not even realize came to her mind. Elena would often become scarce during the mornings; he was not sure what she would do. Shortly after, Elena would request that Katie get her coat and jacket and they would go out for most of the day. Leaving Damon to work on his current plan for getting what was rightfully his.

Elena and Katie would never return before early evening. When they did return, both he and Elena would have a heated discussion about how Damon chose to spend his day. She used words like "lay-about" and he used words like "glorified babysitter". It varied in length of times but it always ended the same, with Elena rushing off stating that she needed to start dinner and Damon going straight for his room. It was a nightmare.

Still, no matter how many insults were shouted whenever Damon decided to exit his room there was a plate of food waiting for him. Always leaving a twinge of guilt for the most recent fight between he and Elena. Than, she would do something else to aggravate him and he would forget.

Once all had gone to bed little Katie would sneak over to Damon's bedroom and fall asleep on the opposing side of his bed. Understanding the need for company but not knowing what to say or do Damon would always pretend that he was asleep. By the time Elena woke up in the morning Damon knew that Katie would have already relocated herself. Damon started to go to bed earlier than he used to.

Damon opened his eyes and looked at the clock that read 9:50am. Today he would start his day off earlier. There was much he had planned for today.

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"I mean you should have seen the look she gave me when I was eating my blueberry muffin this morning for breakfast. Just because she likes to starve herself does not mean the rest of us have too."

Elena smiled as she listened to Caroline ramble on about her newest houseguest, the recently widowed Vikki Salvatore. Stefan had approached Vikki after the funeral in attempts to make sure she was not 'overcome with grief'. Stefan Salvatore, the man who could not think ill of anyone and was always in need of saving everybody around him. Still, neither Elena nor Caroline understood what the woman had said to open up the spare bedroom in the newly weds house for his stepmother, who was his senior by a measly three years.

Elena walked over to Katie and picked up her empty plate to take it to the sink as she waited for the current omelet she had on the stove to be ready for consumption.

"Maybe Stefan is right, maybe she is just trying to get back on her feet and grieving."

With a simple nod of her head, Elena prompted Katie to go get changed. As the little girl scampered off to her room, Elena prepared for the other child of the house.

"Don't you go defending her, you and I both know why she was married to Giuseppe. You can have her and I would even take Damon."

Laughing, Elena began to browse the newspaper only seeing two jobs that Damon would be qualified for. Setting the newspaper and plated omelet on the bar Elena made her way over towards Damon's bedroom.

"Speaking of Damon, it is time for his morning wake up call."

Caroline laughed and ended the phone call after giving a short farewell and a reminder for Elena and Damon to not brutally mane each other. After hanging up the phone Elena silently pushed open the door to Damon's room and glanced inside only to see an unmade and empty bed. It was right before she closed the door again that she heard the rustling and noticed that Damon was crouched on the floor rummaging through a box of some sort. The curiosity overwhelmed her and she approached him.

"Who are you and what have you done with Damon Salvatore?"

Damon barely made an effort to look up at her before his attention went back to the piece of jewelry that was in his hand. It was this beautiful gold band that on the right side had an upward slop of small diamonds encasing a diamond shape forest green gem and on the left side a downward slop of small diamonds encasing the same diamond. It appeared as if not for the beautiful green gem the circle would never connect.

"Wow, that is beautiful. Can I see it?"

Slowly nodding Damon handed the ring over to Elena and after several seconds without even really thinking she placed it on her left ring finger and held it up into the air to truly examine how it sparkled. It was only for a moment before Elena noticed Damon staring at her strangely and she quickly removed it, handing it back to him. Feeling somehow ashamed she looked down at her feet and waited for Damon to say something mean. Instead he just muttered

"It was my mother's ring. She gave it to me after she first got sick."

Not knowing how to respond to Damon's sudden vulnerability she just looked at him and nodded. That is when Elena realized, the requirements for Damon to receive his inheritance and before Elena could stop herself she simply asked.

"Are you planning to propose to somebody?"

Damon just stared at her for a few moments as if deciding whether he was going to grace her question with a response. Than he simply nodded his head and responded "Andie Starr, tonight at dinner"

The grimace that contorted Elena's face was unplanned and Elena did not even realize she was making it until Damon gave a hard chuckle and turned back away from her.

"I didn't know that you were so serious about her."

Elena wondered how much she should continue to say, considering that Damon kept getting that look in his eyes. The look that made her assume Damon was in a whole different dimension altogether. This was not a common look for Damon, he did not remind Elena of a great thinker.

"Mother always did say matter's such as these did not really follow our time tables."

Before she could make herself stop, Elena quickly wrapped her arms around Damon's neck and whispered so that if anyone else were in the room it would not be heard.

"I am so sorry"

Damon stiffened and asked why she was sorry, the exact reason was because the idea of losing her own mother is almost unbearable. Time would have no effect on that.

"The loss of your mother. I can't imagine the pain gets any easier."

Giving one final hug and than before Damon could say anything or Elena could even try and decipher what he was thinking she walked out of the room in search of Katie.

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Damon fiddled with the velvet like material that encased the ring he had chosen from his mother's collection. She had left for him after her death her jewelry and books. There was a number of days that he had considered selling the expensive, old jewelry. The only time that he had ever taken a ring from her jewelry box was when Stefan had told him his plans to propose to Caroline and that had almost started a fighting match between the brothers. Even though, Damon had been the one to originally offer the ring.

Damon knew that Elena did not realize that he had entered the room. She was sweeping the floor in the kitchen while dancing to a song that he thought was just playing in her head until she apparently reached the chorus and burst out the words of a pop song that Damon vaguely remembered on the radio from when he was scanning the stations. He left his presence remain unknown as he continued to watch her seem so, happy. It was as if a string pulled at the sides of his lips. Than he remembered he had went to find Elena for a reason.

"Elena"

She jumped and appeared like Katie did the other night when Damon had caught her trying to get more desert when Elena had told her 'no'. For both situations Damon responded the same way, as if he did not see a thing.

"I have a favor to ask of you"

Elena only looked quizzically at Damon.

"I need a loan for dinner tonight"

It was humiliating to ask and even more humiliating when Elena chose to throw her head back and laugh in response. Only to stop when Damon kept his face unemotional.

"Wait, you are serious? Don't you think having no money is a good reason to wait before asking a girl to marry you?"

"Yeah, well they do say all you need is love"

In response to Damon's admittedly logically wrong statement, Elena just rolled her eyes and went back to sweeping.

"What exactly is your plan once you do get married? I agreed you could stay here but I specifically told you no girls."

That was a rule of Elena's that Damon actually wished he could keep even after he committed legally to Andie. If he could just figure a way to convince Andie that living separately and having an open relationship was actually a very romantic and smart decision for a married couple to make. Which was proving to be increasingly tough argument due to the fact that Damon planned to keep his impending inheritance a secret and protected by a prenuptial.

"Is this not what you girls love? Love, marriage, and all that sentimental stuff."

With the floors cleaned Elena made her way out of the kitchen, just barely missed rubbing up against Damon as she rolled her eyes.

"You sure sound in love"

The sarcasm in her voice was extremely evident and Damon knew that Elena was not going to assist with the current approach.

"Look, I know that you don't like Andie but she"

Before Damon could finish Elena turned on her heal and stuck out her pointer finger.

"Don't defend her, because I know Damon. I know the real reason for your sudden desire to get married but it is never going to work Damon Salvatore."

It did not matter that Damon wanted something from Elena. She could not just point at him and think that she could get away with it.

"Why won't it work? Because I don't have this superiority complex? I mean honestly Elena, have you ever taken that hair tie out or is it now physically implanted on the top of your head?"

There was a look of conflict that tore through her eyes but it only lasted a moment. It soon disappeared behind a chill of a glare, which was the look he was familiar with.

"You know, you would think it would have to do with the fact that you don't even know what work ethic is, but that is not even your biggest issue. The issue is the only reason you are getting married is for the money from your dad!"

By the end of her heated speech Elena looked red and slightly embarrassed, as though she did not mean to divulge her knowledge of his current situation. In all honesty, Damon too needed a moment to catch his mind up with the current information that she had let slip and before Damon could respond Katie appeared beside the couple.

"I'm ready for the park Laney"

After a long and calming breath Elena turned to the young girl and gave her an uneven smile. Damon watched as the passion from the previous conversation slowly dwindled from her eyes

"Yeah, I'm coming"

Before Elena could leave Damon swiftly tugged at her arm in an attempt to pull her attention towards him. She did indeed swivel and look at him but there was something that danced in her eyes when they had been fighting, it had vanished completely. Damon whispered to Elena

"Come on Elena, we both want the same thing. We are not going to survive living together much longer."

It was a fact. Damon knew that Elena would never kick him out if he did not have an alternate plan, she was too good for that but if nothing changed the fights were only going to get more fierce and Katie would be standing on the sidelines watching it all unfold. Damon could never let that happen.

"There is a fridge stocked with food, just cook her something"

Damon did not even time to respond before Katie gleefully requested to assist with whatever he was going to cook in the kitchen. Denying any previous desire to go to the park with Elena and promising she would be more assistance and less hindrance.

Not being able to deny her, Damon gestured for her to follow him back into the kitchen. Surprisingly, Elena did not go and disappear in a different portion of the house when Katie and Damon were spending time together. Elena followed them towards the kitchen but sat on one of the bar stools.

"So, Katie what do we have in the fridge to work with?"

Damon asked as he washed his hands and began to search the cupboards to see if Elena had continued to keep the shelves as stocked as Damon had once done. It appeared as though Elena had kept the shelves brimming with great ingredients, a variety of noodles and spices however peeked Damon's interest the most.

"Ew gross"

Katie exclaimed before slamming the fridge door shut and looking at Damon in a very dramatic fashion.

"Laney, a fish needs water to breath."

"I know that"

"Well, maybe the fishy jumped out of the water than because I think it's dead."

Trying to figure out what the girl was talking about, Damon opened the fridge door and peered inside. There sitting on a plate on the second shelf lay a plate with a fish on it waiting to be skinned. Damon turned and gave Elena a smirk with a raised eyebrow.

"I read an article that said eating fresh fish assisted kids with their cognitive development."

Elena timidly responded.

"So you decided to get a live fish? I mean seriously Elena this fish is still breathing."

"I will get it a bowl"

"No, Katie he was joking"

Elena got up to stop Katie from running to a cabinet that held mixing bowls. The opportunity was too great for Damon to miss. Quickly he reached into the fridge and grabbed the chilled fish before turning towards an approaching Elena and shoving it towards her.

Elena squealed in response and ran out of the kitchen but Damon did not miss a beat following her out into the dining area. The only thing that separated them was the oak table in the center of the room.

"Stay away Damon"

"What don't you like fish Elena? Don't you want help with your cognitive development."

Damon let out a hard chuckle and attempted to maneuver around the table, and Elena mirroring his actions.

"Not like that, come on Damon it stinks."

"Yeah—Katie!"

His reaction was not fast enough, while antagonizing Elena; Katie had found a glass bowl and filled it with water. That itself was not the issue, until Katie could not completely grasp the bowl and it came crashing to the ground. Leaving a very wet and startled looking Katie.

Damon let his hands fall slack as he looked at his sister as her bottom lip began to tremble. She sure was an emotional little thing and so before either girl could say anything Damon grinned.

"Hey, you're ok. Shake it off"

Apparently, that was exactly the wrong thing to say because it was than the tears came and Elena stepped into action. She squatted down and whispered words to the young girl to her bedroom. Presumably to change out of her now wet clothing but not before Elena looked at Damon and shared exactly what she thought of him, with no words or subtitles needed.

As soon as the door was closed, Damon walked over to the fridge and placed the fish back on the plate. Chasing Elena around with a fish was admittedly not the best decision he ever made, but he had nothing to do with the fact that Katie got wet. Nor did Damon know why his words caused his sister to formulate tears that fell from her eyes.

This was the exact reason that Damon chose to keep his distance from Katie. He had never wanted her to see him like everybody else did. He had wanted to keep that look of admiration within her for as long as possible. Wishful thinking is what that was. In utter frustration, Damon slammed his palms against the counter and groaned. It was than he noticed Elena standing near him with wide eyes and a surprised expression. Damon would not be his father. Damon left the apartment with a quick apology and his head down. Damon angry, Elena confused, and Katie still wet.


End file.
